1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the development and use of Brassica oleracea plants with a recombined chromosomal segment.
2. Description of Related Art
Glucosinolates are allelochemicals present in 16 families of plant species, especially in Brassicaceae, of which broccoli is a notable example. Although there are over 120 different glucosinolates identified in nature, closely related taxonomic groups typically contain only a small number of such compounds. Glucosinolates that are dominant in broccoli such as glucoraphanin and glucoiberin are derived biochemically from the amino acid methionine. In the glucosinolate pathway, methionine is converted to homo-methionine and dihomomethionine by the activity of the ELONG (elongation) locus by adding a single carbon unit to the tail each time. Homo-methionine is eventually converted to 3-methylthiopropyl glucosinolate (glucoiberin; “MSP”) while dihomo-methionine is converted to 4-methylthiobutyl glucosinolate (glucoraphanin; “MSB”). These glucosinolates (glucoiberin and glucoraphanin) are potent inducers of phase II detoxification enzymes, such as glutathione-S-transferase and quinone reductase, which promote the metabolism and excretion of potential carcinogens.